SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki

Project update

10 June 2025

Site set up at the intersection of State Highway 2 and Wainui Road

Work continues at Matekerepu

Work continues at the intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road with vegetation clearing and earthworks despite the poor weather over the past couple of weeks. As part of the earthworks, you may see large trucks carting fill to and from the site. Rock fill is being brought in to help shape the new road layout and some soft organic soil is being taken away to assist in the construction of the roundabout.

Earthworks begin at the intersection of State Highway 2 and Wainui Road

Streetlight works and traffic management

The streetlights were recently relocated around the site, giving the crew more room to build the roundabout.

While the relocation of streetlights may seem like a small change, their relocation plays an important role in the wider physical works happening on site. The streetlights were moved about 2 to 5 metres away from the road to make room for the safety improvements, where we have recently cleared vegetation and completed drainage works.

Relocating the lights also means the intersection and road remains lit at night. We encourage people to be mindful of these changes as the intersection may look different at night under the new lighting arrangement.

The traffic management continues to be shoulder closures, stop/go at times and a reduced speed limit. We ask road users to continue following the traffic management in place and thank you for your ongoing cooperation and patience.

Preparation for the roundabout takes place at the intersection

Frequently Asked Questions

Why a roundabout?
Roundabouts are considered one of the best solutions for intersections. They make it easier for people by simplifying decision making and reducing errors people may make. With one clear direction to focus on, it’s easier for people to choose the right time to enter the traffic flow. Everyone slows down as they approach the roundabout, which encourages safe and alert behaviour.

Roundabouts also help protect people on our road by lowering the risk of a high impact crash. They reduce the number of points where you could potentially collide with another vehicle, and if you do, the angle and impact speed are more forgiving than in some other intersection layouts.

Will the vegetation around the intersection be cleared?
Once completed, the roundabout will increase visibility for road users from all angles. Vegetation clearing will not be necessary as it will not obstruct the view of road users approaching the new roundabout arrangement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it taking 12 months to build?
A roundabout is more complex than it seems, and we say that 12 months is needed for construction because there are several different stages of construction. These include:
• enabling works such as fencing, vegetation clearing and relocating services,
• establishing the site office,
• setting up traffic management,
• installing environmental controls to protect local waterways,
• earthworks and carting materials to/from site,
• drainage and swales construction,
• building new lanes and widening the existing road,
• concrete works and laying new pavement,
• line marking and landscaping,
• minor civil works such as installing bus shelters and signs.
All these activities have hold points and specific weather requirements, as well as engineering standards, they must be constructed to.

How will traffic be managed during construction?
This stretch of road is a main route for most traffic between Tauranga and Gisborne, and more locally, connects Whakatāne to Ōpōtiki. The number of vehicles per day (vpd) that use this road is about 5000 with about 15% of these being heavy vehicles.

We understand it’s important for traffic to continue to flow as smoothly as possible and throughout the construction period, there will be several different methods of traffic management including shoulder closures, stop/go operations and temporary nighttime road closures. Any significant changes to temporary traffic management will be communicated to you via our traffic bulletins and newsletters. You can see these here.

Are there any updates on the final section of the SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki safety improvements project?

The design team is currently working on the detailed design for Section 2. When more information becomes available, we will let you know through our newsletters and media releases.

Thank you

We do our best to minimise impacts to people as they drive through our work site and want to thank the local community for their patience. We’re pleased to be delivering important safety improvements at the SH2 and Wainui Road intersection and looking forward to starting work on the final section in 2026.

More information

For more information on the SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki project, visit our website nzta.govt.nz/sh2-wainui-road-to-opotiki

If you have any questions, please contact us at bopprojects@nzta.govt.nz